Thursday, March 22, 2007

PDX to anarchists: *yawn*. Middle America to anarchists: WTF?!!

From what a colleague back east tells me, photos from last Sunday's post-protest have been popping up all over the right-wing blogosphere. A brief post (link leads to the photos, if you're sensitive about this sort of thing, consider yourself been warned) on Little Green Footballs drew over 400 responses from mostly outraged right-wingers. Even Matt Drudge linked to one of the photos yesterday afternoon.

There's no telling if these shots of local anarchists burning soldiers in effigy and carrying a "Fuck the Troops!" sign will make it into the mainstream media. I doubt it, since the protest was several days ago. The most we can expect is, maybe, a two minute rant from Bill O'Reilly sometime in the near future.

Meanwhile, the response from blogs and media outlets here in Portland? Beyond coverage on the 11 o'clock news on Sunday, complete indifference and not so much as a peep. Blogtown touched on their activities in a post on Sunday but nothing since. Even Indy Media hasn't touched on the national attention the images are receiving. Is it that they don't know or is it that simply don't care? Or is it a conscientious attempt to not give the anarchist any more attention?

My pet theory: for Portland, anarchists setting things on fire is passe. Oh, sure, it was all really, really exciting back in '99 during the WTO fallout but in '07? It draws a collective roll of the eyes. Their actions on Sunday smack of Marilyn Manson or a random shock celeb trying to top themselves well after their fanbase has moved on.

Sorry, guys. It's over. I know, I know. Given all the local attention the Schumacher Furs protesters received, it isn't fair. But, hey, you made the Drudge Report. That's got to count for something. Middle America is still outraged by your antics. Have you considered taking this act out on the road? Just start in Pendleton and work your way east until you hit Savannah.

You kids could be big. Big, I tells 'ya, big! Bigger than those inspirational Christian wrestlers that tear phone books in half and this guycombined!